How Does EMDR Help Heal?
Have you ever felt like a difficult memory is just "stuck" in your brain, no matter how much you try to forget it? That's kind of how EMDR therapy sees things. We believe that traumatic or upsetting experiences can get stored in our brains in a way that keeps feeling really intense, almost like they're happening right now. EMDR aims to help your brain finally process those experiences so they don't have such a hold on you anymore.
So, how does it do that? A big part of EMDR involves something called bilateral stimulation (BLS). This might sound a bit technical, but it just means we'll use a back-and-forth movement or sensation, like following my fingers with your eyes, or gentle taps on your hands, or even alternating sounds. Think of it as gently nudging your brain while you briefly focus on that stuck memory.
One of the key ideas is dual attention. During EMDR, you'll be paying attention to the upsetting memory and to the BLS at the same time. It's like having one foot in the past and one foot firmly in the present moment. This dual focus seems to help your brain process the difficult information in a new way.
There are a few interesting ideas about why this works:
Taking the Edge Off: Some experts think that the BLS can reduce the strong emotions and vividness of the upsetting memory. It might be that focusing on two things at once kind of spreads your brain's attention, making the memory feel less overwhelming.
Helping Your Brain Do Its Thing: Think of your brain as a natural problem-solver. EMDR might help to re-activate your brain's own ability to process information that got "stuck" after a difficult event. It encourages new connections and insights to emerge.
Maybe Like Dreaming? Interestingly, the eye movements in EMDR are a bit similar to what happens when you're dreaming during REM sleep. And REM sleep is when your brain processes memories. So, some researchers wonder if EMDR helps your brain do a similar kind of "filing away" of difficult experiences.
Creating New Connections: As you focus on the memory while experiencing BLS, new associations and understandings can naturally arise. You might start to see things differently or have new thoughts about what happened.
It's really important to remember that it's your own brain doing the healing. EMDR is just a way to help it get unstuck and move forward. And while we have these ideas about why it works, the most important thing is that lots of research shows EMDR can be a really effective way to heal from trauma and other difficulties.
So, if you're curious about EMDR, know that it's a well-researched approach that aims to help your brain process difficult experiences so you can move towards healing and feeling better. If you'd like to try EMDR therapy, you can reach out here!